死于非命 (sǐ yú fēi mìng) — to die an unnatural/violent death; to meet an u…

Definition

Literary idiom for dying an unnatural or violent death (accident, murder, disaster), not of old age or illness.

idiom

to die an unnatural/violent deathto meet an untimely end

，死于非命。
Tā de yì shēng hěn kǎn kě, zuì hòu jìng sǐ yú fēi mìng.
His life was full of hardships, and in the end he died an unnatural death.
，死于非命。
Zài nà cì shì gù zhōng, yǒu sān rén sǐ yú fēi mìng.
In that accident, three people died unnatural deaths.
，死于非命，。
Xīn wén bào dào chēng, nà wèi guān yuán sǐ yú fēi mìng, jǐng fāng zhèng zài diào chá.
The news reported that the official died an unnatural death, and the police are investigating.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

尸

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

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